These results reflect both relative contentment with the City Council’s present course and strong discontent with the national political situation.

The Council has been generally progressive. Voters, knowing that, re-elected Sorg, booted Levatino (the most frequent dissenting vote) and added Vasquez, who was endorsed by retiring District 3 councilor Olga Pedroza.

Businesses have voiced complaints in the past about permit processes and the like. The council and new City Manager Stuart Ed have taken steps to address such complaints.

I hope those efforts continue. (Vasquez’s business editor and Hispanic Chamber experience may prove useful.) Business is an important aspect of our community.

It shouldn’t dominate city politics, as it once did; but it deserves respect and fair treatment. Entrepreneurship deserves even more.

The results were clearly a victory for shoe-leather. Progressive candidates and their supporters did a lot of canvassing.

“We touched every door in the district, some of them three times,” one campaign manager said Friday. But there seemed to be a lot more newspaper and radio ads for Levatino and Montañez. Goldbaum walked a lot, and many people walked for her; but incumbent Yalkut bought many more (and much bigger) signs and newspaper ads.

(Goodin spent nothing! Governor Martinez may well appoint him district judge, replacing Macias..)

Some of the energy moving those shoes along our streets was generated by Donald Trump.

His election, and his absurd and dangerous post-election conduct, awakened many people who can’t do much about him but can try to keep local government sane, sensible, and caring. In Virginia, Washington State, and elsewhere, distaste for Trump fueled Democratic wins.

Some motivation was purely local. Many of Levatino’s constituents were angry.

That, plus the strong effort by and for Flores, turned a swing district strongly progressive. Voters know and respect Sorg, a decent man who really cares about water and quality-of-life issues, while Steve Montañez didn’t inspire widespread affection.

Vasquez’s extremely strong qualifications and Bev Courtney’s extreme politics and limited knowledge and experience made the District 3 race a mismatch. Gabe – just an outstanding candidate – had more people walking the streets for him.

He also had more money than Courtney.

Meanwhile Macias is a promising choice as county manager – a post he’s held before.

(He was student body president when I was still around campus in the 1970s.) I liked what I saw of him as judge.

Other judges weren’t so keen, and replaced him as presiding judge; but he certainly has the tools and the perspective to excel in his new post – and the four-year contract he wisely negotiated should help.

Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard, and hats off to all the winning and losing candidates.

Doña Ana County resident Peter Goodman writes, shoots pictures, and sometimes practices law. Further information may be on his blog at www.soledadcany on.blogspot.com